There are a number of factors which come into play in achieving a proper golf club swing, any one of which if improperly executed may result in a poor swing. These factors include such elements as a proper stance and address of the ball by the golfer, a proper grip of the golf club, proper body position during the golf swing, and the proper swing motion. Of the aforementioned factors affecting the golfer's shot it is the proper swing motion which the is most difficult to achieve. It is also the swing motion which may very well be the most important single factor in achieving an optimum golf shot. If the golfer does not swing the golf club properly, the golfer's head may move, his body may be forced into an incorrect position, the golfer may loose the correct weight transfer or the club may be brought out of correct alignment with the ball.
A proper swing motion has two principal elements. These elements include, firstly, the physical swing plane, namely the path which the properly swung golf club must follow, and secondly, the tempo of the swing, also known as swing timing or rhythm. The tempo of the golf club swing refers to the velocity with which the golf club head is travelling through a particular phase of the swing. The tempo can, therefore, be defined as the relationship of the club speed at the various points of the swing and the timing of these points to one another, taken from the beginning of the backswing to the end of the follow-through.
For a successful golf swing, the club must not only move through a consistent and well defined physical path, but it must also follow this path with a consistent, smooth tempo or rhythm. These crucial factors can be the most elusive to refine, as it is difficult to sense exactly where or when within the swing the problem lies or its extent, since the human eye cannot easily gauge the club head speed at every instant. With the proper tempo, a golf swing becomes one fluid motion rather than a series of disjointed events. In order to achieve this fluid motion, the golfer is forced to master all elements of the swing. With proper swing tempo achieved, each part of the swing places the club and the body in the correct position and relative motion for the next portion of the swing, and so on. This is really the essential, underlying principle when people speak of having perfected or "grooved" their swing.
A factor which contributes to the difficulty in developing the proper swing motion is that it varies somewhat with the age, sex, strength, build, temperament and stature of the golfer. In spite of this difficulty, it is widely recognized that once a golfer has mastered all of the basics of the golf swing, including the proper swing plane, the remaining essential element which separates an average or even good golfer from a great golfer is the swing tempo.
Previous efforts to perfect a means of teaching the proper swing tempo include the use of slow-motion video replays of the golfer's swing, and the use of remote motion-sensing technology. With the former, the problem is in obtaining precise, useful analysis without delay as by the time the stroke has been analyzed, the golfer has forgotten how it felt. Video replays also make a comparison between separate golf swings difficult. Proper analysis of the video requires the expertise of a professional, raising costs and decreasing availability and usability. With motion-sensing technology, the desired results can be obtained, but there are serious limitations in the application of the technology. To make the system truly reliable and usable requires extremely sophisticated technology which is not only very expensive, but which also requires carefully controlled operating conditions, as well as the installation upon the golf club and in some cases the golfer of a series of infrared light emitting diodes which must be hardwire to the system. This technology is far better suited to a laboratory or clinic than to the golf course or for home practice.
In an effort to assist golfers in learning the correct swing motion, training systems have been developed to teach golfers to swing the club in the correct physical swing plane. Known training systems act to guide the end of a golfer's club as it travels in movement. Typically, these training devices provide a means to compel the individual to swing the club along a predetermined arc or plane by using a geometric swing path for the golfer's backswing and follow-through.
Prior patents which are pertinent, include Canadian laid open patent application S.N. 2,031,458 to Bellagamba, filed Dec. 9, 1990, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,881 to Bellagamba et al, both of which teach a golf swing training apparatus having a PVC arcuate pipe which acts to guide the shaft of the golf club during the user's swing. U.S. Pat. No. 2,520,287, to Plunkett shows a golf club guiding device which captures a golf club and holds it in position for a spiral like swing. Zega U.S. Pat. No. 2,653,025 teaches a mechanical golf instruction aid which captures the golf club and holds it for a predetermined swing. U.S. Pat. No. 2,713,491, to Plunkett et al, teaches a golf club guiding device for guiding the club in a predetermined manner. The MacStocker U.S. Pat. No. 1,960,787 is for a golf club guiding system directing the club around a predetermined swing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,633 to Sciarrillo teaches a golf swing training machine supported by a base sitting on an angled surface and guides the golf club on a spiraled pipe guide. The U.S. patent to Wilson U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,329 is for a golf teaching apparatus in which the shaft of a golf club is attached to a sleeve which slides on a track to control the swing of a person practicing on the device. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,799 to Hightower a golf practice device has a guiding track for teaching the proper technique for swinging a golf club.
A difficulty with these known golf swing training apparatus, is that while they assist in improving the golfers accuracy in swinging the club through the correct physical swing plane, they do not assist in teaching the user the proper club swing tempo.
Additionally, known golf swing training apparatus only provide the user with a "fixed" plane of club movement. There is no means of comparing a person's club swing with a preferred club golf swing which has been executed by a professional or expert golfer.
On occasion, even an accomplished golfer may experience an "off" swing, in which something has gone wrong with his club swing motion. If the golfer's swing tempo has altered, recovery to the proper swing motion may take an extended period if the golfer has adapted to the new incorrect swing tempo. Known golf training apparatus are disadvantageous as they do not permit a progressive comparison of the swing movement with the golfer's previous golf swings, his average club swing or his best golf club swing.
While prior art patents disclose an adjustable swing training apparatus, the individual settings used for each individual golfer require precise, time consuming calibration of the swing training apparatus. This results in inefficient use of the training apparatus and increased cost in man-hours required for set-up.
Known golf training apparatus are also more suitable for teaching the proper "full" swing, as one would use with various woods and low angled irons. These known devices are of little use in teaching the proper swing motion for a sand wedge, pitching wedge or other high angle iron shots.